Examine Religious Beliefs About Death and Beyond
Examine Religious beliefs about death and beyond (AO1)
The majority of religions have a clear belief in the concept of life and existence after death; however, the detail of what happens and how it happens differs between every religion and it predominantly depends on the beliefs about the soul.
A prime idea that is constantly diverse between religions is the idea of death, body and soul. Linear religions such as Christianity primarily believed that death was a punishment for the bad and wicked. This idea was adopted from the fact that human beings were created to live forever, however after the fall of man and Original Sin, man was condemned to mortality. This idea, however, was challenged by Mother Teresa who described death as ‘going home to God’ and that this life we live is only part of a journey that’s headed towards God.
There is much debate as to whether humans have an immortal soul or whether they return with a resurrected body later in existence. Some would argue that we have an individual soul that is God-given, as described in Genesis 2:7 (...and He blew into his nostrils the soul). However, this is disputed when looking at the fact that Jesus did not remain dead once crucified, but rather he was resurrected after three days. The idea of a resurrection was described by Jesus in John 11 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”. Jesus gives the idea that the body will be recreated by God when we rise again for judgement. This is further described in Corinthians 15, it states: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable”.
Judaism, also being a linear religion, has similar ideas to that of Christianity. Both religions believe in souls and that they are God-given. Judaism, on the other hand, has no clear teachings about the relationship between the body and the soul as it feels
The majority of religions have a clear belief in the concept of life and existence after death; however, the detail of what happens and how it happens differs between every religion and it predominantly depends on the beliefs about the soul.
A prime idea that is constantly diverse between religions is the idea of death, body and soul. Linear religions such as Christianity primarily believed that death was a punishment for the bad and wicked. This idea was adopted from the fact that human beings were created to live forever, however after the fall of man and Original Sin, man was condemned to mortality. This idea, however, was challenged by Mother Teresa who described death as ‘going home to God’ and that this life we live is only part of a journey that’s headed towards God.
There is much debate as to whether humans have an immortal soul or whether they return with a resurrected body later in existence. Some would argue that we have an individual soul that is God-given, as described in Genesis 2:7 (...and He blew into his nostrils the soul). However, this is disputed when looking at the fact that Jesus did not remain dead once crucified, but rather he was resurrected after three days. The idea of a resurrection was described by Jesus in John 11 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”. Jesus gives the idea that the body will be recreated by God when we rise again for judgement. This is further described in Corinthians 15, it states: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable”.
Judaism, also being a linear religion, has similar ideas to that of Christianity. Both religions believe in souls and that they are God-given. Judaism, on the other hand, has no clear teachings about the relationship between the body and the soul as it feels